Thread advancing reel



July 3l 1951 D. H. BRowNELL 2,562,768

THREAD ADVANCING REEL Filed June 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 31, 1951 D. H. BRowNELL 2,562,768

THREAD ADvANcING REEL Filed June 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July-31, 1951 D. H. BROWNELL 2,562,768

' THREAD ADVANCING REELl Filed June 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 u'. A 20/ fz gmc/nto@ www Patented July 3l, 1951 THREAD ADVANCING REEL v Dean H. Brownell, Enka, N. C., assignor to American Enka Corporation tion of Delaware Enka, N. C., a corpora- Application June 28, l1948, Serial No. 35,672

(ci. zar-11.7)

11 Claims. l

This invention relates to thread-storage. thread-advancing devices, and more particularly to a reel having a plurality of yarn-supporting bars each of which is successively moved axially for a limited distance from a starting position in the direction of yarn travel and is then radially retracted from yarn-supporting position and moved axially back to the starting position.

Reels of the foregoing type are known to the art, but the mechanisms heretofore employed for radially moving the bars to and from the yarnsupporting position have been so cumbersome and diilicult to maintain as to preclude their use on a commercial scale. For example, they include cam means for reciprocating the bars, means for guiding the bars for extension to and retraction from yarnsupporting position, means for supporting the bars, and separate means for positively moving the bars to and from yam-supporting position. Accordingly, a cantilever construction is not possible and threading diiilculties are encountered.

In an effort to overcome the foregoing diillculties. a reel has been developed in which an inilated resilient tube underlies each bar and holds it in extended or thread-supporting position. The b ar is retracted by evacuating the inilating gas from the tube. 'l'his scheme does involve a normally retracted bar so that positive movement is required only in the extending operation and it does involve the support of the bar by the resilient tube that moves it. There is no elimination of parts, however, due to the fact that the rod-supporting tubes themselves require support. Furthermore, because of this, the cantilever construction is not achieved.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a cantilever reel of the reciprocating retractible bar type which is characterized by a large reduction in the number of parts required to effect the necessary movements, the protection of all moving parts against any liquids that may be employed in treating threads supported and advanced on the reel, and the complete elimination of the necessity for any .pneumatically or hydraulically operated parts.

'It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a single means that supports the rods in both the extended and retracted position and efe feets the extending and retracting operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reel that is self-cleaning and self-threading so that the initial threading-up operation is rendered extremely simple.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a reel constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the reel of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section taken along the line l--I of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional -view taken along thelineI-loiFlgure 3;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the rodsupporting and moving cam that constitutes a part of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a view in end elevation showing one face of the cam assembly of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the cam assembly oi Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified thread-storage, thread-advancing device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

Figure 9 is a view in section taken along the line l-S of Figure 8. l

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, the numeral It represents the thread-supporting and advancing bars of which the reel is made. As shown in Figures2 and 4, the reel may be comprised of twenty bar members I0. T'hese bar members are maintained in circumferentiallyvspaced relationship and are guided i'or independent radial movement by a circular plate. II and 4 housing I9, each of which being provided with twenty equally-spaced radial slots at I2v and IIb. respectively.

While the bars It are maintained in spaced relation and are guided for independent radial movement by the plate Il. they are actually supported by a cam assembly Il of a construction which will be apparent upon reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7. The cam assembly I3 includes a central hub portion Il which is supported by an end IIl of a supporting shaft I6 which is suitably mounted in any convenient manner not shown.

Since the supporting shaft I6 is rigidly held and it rigidly holds the cam assembly I3, it is apparent that the cam assembly functions as a bearing support for the plate In this arrangement, the plate is provided with a central socket at which receives a projection or boss Il constituting an integral part of the cam assembly I3. Thus, the shaft I6 through its end Il supports the cam assembly I3 which through its projection Il supports the plate I I for rotation around and with respect to the cam assembly.

The cam assembly I3 includes four cam faces I8, 2li, 2| and 22. The cam faces I9 and 20 lie in planes parallel to the planes of the bars III andare formed at the periphery of two disc-like members 23 and 24 extending from the hub Il of the cam assembly Il. Each bar member I is provided with sockets 2l and 26 and bearing guides 2l and 2l. Cam-following rollers 29 and 3l are mounted in each of the sockets 25 and 26, respectively, on a shaft or pin 3| which passes through and is supported from the bearing surfaces at 21 and 23. Each roller 29 rests against the cam surface Il of the disc 23 while each roller 30 rests against the cam surface 20 of the disc 24. It can now be seen that the bars I0 through their rollers 29 and 3l are free to rotate around the axis of the shaft Ii with the cam followers 23 and 30 in contact with cam faces I9 and 2l. respectively. In order to bias the cam followers 29 and 3l into continuous contact with the cam faces I3 and 2l, grooves are cut in the outer surfaces of each of the bars Il, and these grooves are occupied by resilient bands 32 and Il which draw all of the bars Il together inwardly against the faces I! and 2l. The structure and function of the bands I2 and Il and the grooves in the bars Il in which the bands operate are clear upon reference to Figure 4. Note in particular that the grooves vary or alternate in depth as between adjacent bars il. In other words, the bar III at the top of Figure 3 has a shallow groove accommodating the band I2 and a deep groove accommodating the band I3. The two adjacent bars, however, have deep grooves accommodating the band l2 and shallow grooves accommodating the band I3.

In addition to the cam followers 2l and 3l which have been described above, each bar Il is also provided on its shank -portion with camfollowing surfaces Il and 35 which coact, respectively, with cam faces 2| and 22 of the cam assembly Il.

It is apparent that before the structure described can function as a thread-storage, threadadvancing device, it is necessary to impart a rotary movement to the bars Il about a common central axis, such as the axis of the shaft I8. 'Ihis is accomplished by means of a pulley 3i which is mounted on bearings I1 and Il for rotation with respect to the shaft Il. The pulley I6 is made integral with housing Il which surrounds all of that portion of the bars which lies to the right of the plate Il as the assembly is viewed in Figure 3. The extreme left edge of the housing 33 is attached to the plate so that the plate may be rotated by rotation of the hous- IDS. a

If, now, reference is made to the contours-of the cam surfaces I9. 2l, 2| and 22, it will be seen how the illustrated device functions to store thread and advance it in a generally helical path toward the unsupported ends of the bars. The cam surface 2| is of such configuration that for a sone of 330.5 the bars are gradually moved outwardly or to the left of Figure 1 as a result of the gradual advance of the cam face 2| from point a to point b in a clockwise direction (see Figures 6 and 7). In a remaining zone of 29.5 (see Figure 7), the cam face 2| recedes axially to the same extent that it extends in the clockwise direction from a to b. Thus, each bar in 360 of movement about the axis of shaft I0 is gradually advanced toward the unsupported end of the apparatus and is quickly retracted. Actually. the cam face 2| moves the bars foward the unsupported end of the apparatus, and the cam face 22 which is complementary to the cam face 2| returns them to the starting position.

Thus, the bars are moved to the left by the cam face 2| and are returned to the right by the cam face 22. Since the thread is in contact with the bars I0 (see Figure 1), it will move with them as they move and will build up a helix as shown in Figure 1 due to the movement of the bars toward their unsupported ends.

While the return movement of the bars is effected, they must be out of contact with the thread, so that the helix can be maintained. To this end, the cam surfaces II and 2l coacting with the resilient bands 32 and Il effect retraction of each bar radially as it moves from b to a in a clockwise direction so that as each bar is retracted axially it is held out of contact with the thread. The position assumed by the bars during their retraction is clearly shown at the top of Figure 2, the action being Abrought about by the notch in the cam surfaces I! and 2l. The notch is so arranged that for 11.5 of movement the bar is moving inwardly, and after 18 more degrees of movement it is back in the radial sense to the starting postiion. Meanwhile, the concurrent action of the cam face 22 has been to restore it to the axially retracted position.

It will now be apparent why the grooves which receive the bands I2 and Il must vary in depth. When the cam followers 2l and Il of any given bar Il are passing through the 29.5 dip in sections of the cam surfaces Il and 2l. the polygon defined by the cro section of the whole reel has its face at the point of dip twice as long as allof the other faces due to the retraction of that one bar from the normally radially extended position. If the grooves receiving the bands l2 and 33 were all of equal depth, the recessionv of the bar into the dip in cam surfaces Il and 2l would result merely in the movement of the bar into a position where it would lie beyond the restraining influence of the band and where it could wobble. This is due to the fact that the band would stretch in a straight line between the two adjacent bars across the bar following the dip without touching it. If, however, one groove of each adjacent bar is deeper than the corresponding groove of the bar which is in the dip in the cam surface it is apparent that there will still be a, thrust component exerted radially inwardly from the band and acting on the retracted bar which is following the dip at that particular moment. This will be clear upon reference to Figure 4 wherein bar IIb is following the dip and bars llc and ild are beside it. The band I3 which is in shallow grooves in bars lld and Ilc and in a deep groove in bar IIb does no work while the band Il which is in a deep groove in bars Ild and llc exerts thrust on bar IIb and maintains its position despite the contour of the cam. This construction has the further advantage that the bars can be rotated at much higher R. P. Mis without affecting the cmciency of the reel and therefore the delivery speed of the reel is only limited to the extrusion speed of the threads.

4It will be understood that a thread-storage, thread-advancing device such as that which constitutes the subject matter of this invention ilnds a primary utility in supporting and advancing freshly spun rayon yarn while it is subjected to aftertreating liquids for such purposes as washing out spin bath acids, desulfurizing, and applying a finish. Consequently, the bars III which support the thread during these treatments are exposed to the action of the treating liquids. Since some of the treating liquids are corrosive in nature, it is an important feature in this invention that the moving parts of the apparatus which effect the propulsion and manipulation of the bars previously described can be and are wholly protected from the action of these liquids. The manner in'which this is done can best be understood by reference to Figures 8 and 9 wherein there is shown a rubber or other resilient cap member I that surrounds the edge of the housing 39a adjacent the plate I Ia and includes individual boots 4I surrounding each bar member Illa a'djacent the point where the bar member passes through the slots I 2a in the plate IIa and slots I2c in housing 39a. Because of the resiliency of the boot 4I, it can follow the movement of the bar as it is extended and retracted both axially and radially. It will be noted that the bars Illa are provided with a rounded portion at that portion of their length which projects from the housing 39a so that a boot of circular cross section can be tightly seated thereagainst. 'I'he remaining parts shown in Figure 8 correspond in structure and function to the like parts of the preceding figures and need not be described again.

While the shaft I6 has been indicated as a stationary shaft, it is preferably apparent that that shaft may be rotated independently of the rotation of the pulley 36, and that independent rotation of the pulley 36 and shaft I6 will vary the frequency at which the operation of the bars takes place. In general, as the shaft I6 turns with the pulley 36, the frequency of the described operations decreases as the speeds approach equality. On the other hand, when the two are turned in opposite directions, an increase in frequency results. Since the cyclic operation of the apparatus produces the helix angle of the thread supported on the thread-storage, thread-advancing device, it is apparent that by manipulation of the speed and direction of the shaft I6 relative to that of pulley 36, the helix angle is subject to infinite adjustment so that any desired quan- 1 tity of thread may be supported on the reel at any one time, irrespective of the take-up rate of the reel as a whole. Thus, the storage time, or the time that any length of thread is on thereel, is entirely within the control of the operators.

While this invention has been described with respect to but a few embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. and is intended to demonstrate the invention in such terms that those skilled in the art may have an understanding of the principles thereof from which various modification in details of construction may naturally ow.

What is claimed is:

l. A threadstorage, thread-advancing device comprising a member having a plurality of radial slots therein, means to rotate said member, a bar in each slot of said member, each bar having a shanks ot said bars to hold all but one of. them l thread contacting portion extending, in one direction from said member and 'a shank portion extending in thev other direction from said mem# ber, resilient means acting on the shanks of said bars. to bias the bars toward a radially retracted position, means in the path of movement of the in a radially extended position against said bias, and means acting on the shanks of said bars for gradually, successively moving said bars longitudinally in one direction as they rotate in the position of radial extension and for moving each bar successively longitudinally an equal distance in the opposite direct-ion when it is in the radially retracted position. 2. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of bars each including a thread contacting portion and a `shank portion;

' means for holding said bars in circumferentially spaced relation for independent radial movement with all of the shank portions extending in one direction from said holding means, means for rotating said holding means, a pair of axially spaced cams both acting on said shanks to guide each bar in its rotation through a path which includes a radially extended portion and a radially retracted portion, resilient means acting on said shanks between said cams for maintaining shankcam contact, and means acting on said shanks for moving said bars axially in one direction while they are in extended position and in the other direction while they are in retracted position. y 3. A thread-storage, Ithread-advancing device" comprising'a plurality of bars each including a thread contacting portion and a shank portion,`

means for holding said bars in circumferentiallyspaced relation for independent radial movement 'with all of the shank portions extending in onedirection from said holding means, means for rotating said holding means, cam means including a pair of axially spaced surfaces acting on: said shank portions for guiding each bar in its rotation through a path which includes a radially extended portion and a' radially retracted portion, resilient means acting on said shank portions to maintain said shank portions in contact with said surfaces, said cam means also includ--v ing surfaces acting on said shank portions for positively moving said bars axially in one directionwhile they are in extended position and in the other direction while they are in retracted po extended position and in the other direction while.

they are in retracted position, a housing, means for rotating said housing, said holding means:

being connected to said housing for rotation therewith, said housing surrounding said bar' supporting means and the means for moving saidbars axially y whereby to protect them against the action of any liquids that may be used with.' threads supported and advanced by the device.

5. A thread-storage, thread-advancing deviceA comprising a plurality of bars, means for hold-l ing said bars in circumferentially-spaced relation for independent radial movement, means for J 1 rotating said holding means. and bar-supportln'g means including cam surfaces for guiding each bar in its rotation through a path which includes a radially extended portion and a radially retracted portion. said bar-supporting means also including cam surfaces for moving said bars axially in one direction while they are in extended position and in the other direction while they are in retracted position, said bar-supporting means being located at one end of the device whereby to provide a cantilever construction.

6. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of elongated elements comprising a reel, each element including a thread contacting portion and a shank portion, means `to rotate the reel and means in the path of movement of the shank portion of the reel elements and coacting with the shank portions thereof for displacing the elements axially in one direction during the maior portion of a revolution of the reel and for successively displacing them axially in the other direction during the remainder of a revolution thereof, and means also acting on said shank portions for successively retracting each element from and returning it to the path of rotation of the remaining bars of the reel during said remainder of a revolution of the reel.

7. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality ot elongated elements, a disc, means to rotate said disc, said disc having therein a plurality of radial slots equally spaced circumferentially. said elements between their ends being located in the slots of said disc to define a reel of polygonal cross section extending in one direction from said disc. each element including a first and a second pair of camfollowing surfaces on the portion thereof extending in the other direction from the disc, an assembly movable with respect to said disc and presenting a first pair of axially spaced cam.

' surfaces to displace said elements radially in and out from the reel surface, said first pair of cam surfaces being of a contour to produce gradual movement of the reel-defining portions of the elements in a direction away from the disc during the major portion of a cycle of relative rotation between the disc and said assembly and a successive return of said reel defining portions of said elements during the remainder of said cycle. said second pair of cam surfaces being of a con-` tour to produce a radial inward and outward cycle of movement of each element in timed relation with the return portion of said cycle of relative rotation.

porttheelemenmmeansforrotatingsaidhomingrelativetosaidcams, and means for supportf ing said cams from a point without the housing. thccontoursofsaidcamsbeingsuchthatasthe housingisrotatedeachelementiafromastartingpoaidmgraduallydisplacedinanaxialdirec- 'tionawayfromthehousingandisthensuddenly 8. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of elongated elements. a housing surrounding a common end of said elements, said housing including a radially slotted disc for locating theelements in circumferentially-spaced relation with one of the elements projecting from the housing through each slot to define a reel. that portion of each element which lies within the housing including axially spaced cam-following surfaces. a pair of axially spaced cams mounted within the housing,sre silient means biasing the cam-following surfaces of said elements against said cams in a plane retracted and simultaneously displaced radially inwardly to iis starting position.

9. A thread-storage. thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of elongated elements. a housing surrounding a common end of said elcments. said housing including a radially slotted disc for locating the elements in circumferentially-spaced relation with one of the elements projecting from the housing through each slot to denne a reel, that portion of each element whichlieswithlnthehousingincludingaxially spaced cam-following surfaces. a pair of axially spaced cams mounted within the housing, resilient bands surrounding said elements in planes between the cam-following surfaces to bias the cam-following surfaces of said elements inwardly againsttherespectivecamssothatthecamssupport the elements. means for rotating said housing relative to said cams, and means for supporting said cams from a point without the housing. the contours of said cams being such that as the housing is rotated each element is, from a starting position. gradually displaced in an axial direction away from the housing and is then suddenly retracted and simultaneously displaced radially inwardly to its starting position.

10. A thread-storage. thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of elongated elements, a radially slotted disc for locating the elements in circumferentially spaced relation with one of the elements extending through each slot from one side of the disc to define a reel, that portion of each element which lies on the other side of the disc including axially'spaced cam-following surfaces, a pair of axially spaced cams, means for supporting said cams. each of said elements having a pair of grooves between its cam-following surfaces. said pairs of grooves lying in circumferential registry with the corresponding pairs of the other elements but alternating in depth as between adjacent elements in a common circumferential path, resilient bands seated in said grooves and surrounding said elements to bias the cam-following surfaces inwardly against the respective cams so that the cams support the elements. and means for rotating said disc relative to said cams. the contours of said camsbeingsuchthatasthediscisrotatedthe reel defining portion of each element is, from a starting position, gradually displaced in an axial direction away from the disc and is then suddenly retracted and simultaneously displaced radially inwardly to its starting position.

il. A thread-storage. thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of elongated elements. a housing surrounding a common end of said eiements, said housing including a radially slotted disc for locating the elements in circumferentially spaced relation with one of the elements projecting from the housing through each slot to denne a reel. that portion of each element which lies within the housing including axially spaced cam-following surfaces, a pair of axially spaced cams mounted within the housing, each ofsaid elements having a pair of grooves between its cam-following surfaces. said pairs of grooves lying in circumferential registry with the corlocated between the cams so that the cams sup- 1I responding pairs of the other elements but aiin a common circumferential path, resilient bands seated in said grooves and surrounding said elements to bias the cam-following surfaces inwardly against the respective cams so that the cams support the elements, means for rotating said housing relative to said cams. and means for sup-l porting said cams from a point without the housing. the contours o! said cams being such that as the housing is rotated each element is, from a starting position. gradually displaced in an axial direction away from the housing and is then suddenLv retracted and simultaneously displaced radially inwardly to its starting position.

DEAN H. BROWNEIL. Il

l0 summons crran UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,175,219 samerdyke oct. 10, 1939 2,397,252 Furness oct. 23, 1945 2,414,644 Gram Jan. 21, 1947 2,415,115 stanley Feb. 4, 194': 2.429.704 Ewing oct. '1, 1947 2,435,490 Ewing Feb. s, 194s 2,469,767 Heumen May 10, 1949 

